and outselling many former classic novels on America's college campuses. And Tolkien became a "cult hero".

By 1968 the letters and gifts (and midnight phone calls) to his home became intolerable, and that, coupled with his and Edith's failing health, caused their move to Bournemouth where they hoped to live as "secretly" as possible.

I do like what he had to say about all the hoopla: "Being a cult figure of one's own lifetime I am afraid is not at all pleasant. However I do not find that it tends to puff one up; in my case at any rate it makes me feel extremely small and inadequate. But even the nose of a very modest idol cannot remain entirely untickled by the sweet smell of incense." (Carpenter's Biography) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~